As No. 1 Alabama was putting it on Arkansas to the tune of 41-0 in the first half Saturday at Bryant-Denny Stadium, the voice of the Crimson Tide was getting some perspective on Nick Saban’s club from a special guest.
Eli Gold, who calls Alabama games for the Crimson Tide Network, was joined in the booth by Alabama legend Joe Namath.
Gold did a nice job of feeding listeners enough play-by-play during the blow out while interviewing Namath about the 2019 version of the Tide.
“Thankful,” Namath said about making it a point to return to Tuscaloosa. “Honest to God, thank you to the good Lord for the friendships we developed over the years. Made friends down here in ’61 to start with. So many people are still here. They made me feel at home.
“I’ve always loved Tuscaloosa.”
In 1964, Namath got injured against N.C. State in the second quarter of a 21-0 Alabama win. Namath twisted his knee with just more than six minutes in the first half. Sloan entered the game and led Alabama on a 69-yard drive that culminated with his 1-yard touchdown run to give Alabama its first score.
Gold asked him how tough it is for current injured Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa to watch as Mac Jones runs the offense.
“It is what it is, you know? Tua’s got the smarts, I think, to understand to play the hand that was dealt to us and to his best ability,” Namath said.
“We were so lucky to have Steve Sloan on our team. He went on to be an All-American and lead the Tide to a national championship.”
Namath touched on a couple of other topics, too:
On the Alabama defense:
“We have some young guys out there and some injuries,” he said. “ They’ve matured, but I would like to see us get more pressure on the passer with the front four, if possible, rather than having to send people.
“They’re getting better. Let’s put it that way.”
On how former Alabama players C.J. Mosely and Quinnen Williams looks for the New York Jets, Namath’s former NFL team:
“We love them,” said Namath, who was asked how they are accepted by Jets fans. “They know where they played college ball. We have high expectations for them. They have handled themselves beautifully, except they have been injured. They’ve had some bad luck.
“The Jets are in a tough situation right now. But, C.J., man, he’s good. He’s the leader of the defense. He gets hurt in the first game.
“And, Quinnen, everybody loves the way he plays.”
On his health:
“I’ve had some minor problems with my joints, but as long as the organs stay healthy, the joints I can deal with,” Namath said.
Mark Heim is a sports reporter for The Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Mark_Heim.
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